We meet mostly in London, sometimes further afield. We draw and paint together, draw each other, visit museums and galleries, and run workshops. All abilities are welcome. Some of us have bought art from each other we can give you feedback on any art purchases you are considering.

I thought shoal would be a good word to use for an art group after reading a line about fish in their school in a translation of Ingeborg Bachmann's poem An die Sonne. Fish in a school swim in the same direction but in a shoal they swim somewhat independently, communicating and staying in a group though. So in our meetups you can work somewhat independently if you wish.

I heed the feedback I get and understand that many people like to know that a meetup will repeat along similar lines so that they can try it out and return to it if it suits them. Others enjoy change, so I try to introduce a couple of new ideas each time without disrupting the format and the rythm of activity too much.

To end with, here are some more uses of the word shoal which I liked:-

C. Thirlwall Hist. Greece VI. l. 198 "A shoal of boats now came off from the harbours filled with people." (Oxford English Dictionary)

"There's only here and now and light; neither death, nor darkness, exists. We're all already on the sea shore. I'm one of those who'll be hauling in the nets when a shoal of immorality swims by" (Arseny Tarkovsky, translated by Virginia Rounding)